A Seattle drug treatment counselor accused of attempting to rape a 10-year-old boy has been charged with sex crimes.

King County prosecutors say David Allan Scratchley attempted to rape a 10-year-old boy at a Seattle apartment. Scratchley was arrested Friday and remains jailed on $1 million bail.

Scratchley – a prominent substance abuse counselor at the Matt Talbot Center – is alleged to have told a patient at the center that he planned to have sex with the boy. The woman told police, who arrested Scratchley and found the boy at the counselor’s Belltown apartment.

Prosecutors contend Scratchley subsequently told investigators that he had been using crack cocaine for three months. He has been placed in the King County Jail psychiatric unit.

Writing the court Wednesday, Senior Deputy Prosecutor Carol Spoor said Scratchley’s conduct was “predatory” in nature, and that the counselor abused the trust placed in him by the community.

“He has manipulated not only this victim and his mother, but an entire community,” Spoor said in court documents.

Prior to his arrest, Scratchley, 52, had been described as a "renowned advocate on issues of child safety."

Formerly a director at a Seattle child psychiatric facility, Scratchley taught at Seattle University and had been employed as the clinical director at the Matt Talbot Center, a facility for adults with severe drug or alcohol problems.

"Scratchley has clearly shown the ability to groom and manipulate many people in his life including the ability to obtain money and resources from unsuspecting citizens," DiTusa told the court.

"Dr. Scratchley was highly respected in the community and has thwarted the community's trust," the detective continued. "He had placed himself with vulnerable people who entrusted their treatment and health in his hands."

On Sept. 1, Seattle police received a report from a 46-year-old woman who claimed to have been in a relationship with Scratchley for two years.

Speaking with investigators, the woman said Scratchley smoked cocaine and other drugs with her, according to charging documents.

More troublingly, Scratchley said he fantasized about having sex with children and said he had abused kids in the past, Seattle Detective Susana DiTusa told the court. She became afraid, the detective continued, when Scratchley told her he planned to rape a young boy at his home later Friday.

According to charging documents, the woman and Scratchley exchanged text messages discussing how they would sexually assault the boy. Scratchley allegedly told her to come to his home in the 2800 block of Western Avenue, where the boy and cocaine were waiting for her.

Sexual assault detectives and other officers responded to the home hoping to find the child. Arriving at the scene, police spoke with the woman and were then greeted by the 10-year-old as he walked out of the building elevator.

Writing the court, DiTusa said the child told her he had been in the apartment with "Dr. Scratchley," who had picked him up from his mother's home earlier in the day.

Calling Scratchley "my friend," the boy said he had been alone with Scratchley alone on several occasions, the detective told the court. That day, DiTusa continued, the boy said Scratchley told him they "were going to do really fun things."

"He didn't tell (the boy) what 'fun things' they would be doing except that they would be going shopping at a sporting goods store later just as they had before," the detective told the court.

According to charging documents, Scratchley also grilled the boy about sexual topics, asking if he'd "done any sexual things" or whether he had ever kissed a girl. The boy told police Scratchley had previously told him not to tell Scratchley's girlfriend about their meetings.

Police took the boy the Harborview Medical Center, where he received a sexual assault examination. Officers arrested Scratchley at his apartment; according to charging documents, he declined to speak with detectives.

Having spoken with police, the woman who reported Scratchley allowed officers to review her text message exchange with the counselor.

Officers found a series of messages apparently from Scratchley describing the boy's genitals in detail while referring to the planned rape of the child as a "play date," DiTusa told the court. The detective added that police searching Scratchley's home found drug paraphernalia as well as his phone, which contained a text messages describing his own drug use and plans for the "play date."

Arguing that Scratchley should remain jailed, DiTusa told the court that Scratchley could hurt others or himself if he were to be released.

Scratchley was charged Wednesday with attempted first-degree rape of a child and communication with a minor for immoral purposes. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 21 at the King County Courthouse.